Sailor Moon Δ
by Xavon Wrentaile
Summary: A reimagining and retelling of Sailor Moon from the beginning. Very different from canon, the Senshi represent different elements and the goal of the Dark Kingdom is different (just for starters).
1. Prologue: End of the Era

_**Author's Note: **This is a reimagining of Sailor Moon that has been floating around in my head for a while now, and now that Crystal has started I felt compelled to write it. This note is a fair warning, this story will deviate from canon. A lot. Starting with the name of Princess Serenity's mother, and going as far as the elements each Senshi represents, the origins of the cats, and the nature of the Ginzoishou. If that sort of thing bothers you, turn back now._

* * *

Queen Selene stumbled as the entire palace shook. Her golden hair, drawn into two pigtails that extended to her ankles, fluttered around her. Dust from the arches above her settled onto her white gown, but she did not take the time to brush it off. Her green eyes were too focused on her goal to even notice the marring of her normally impeccable appearance.

She recognized the rumbling as the power of Demeter, princess and Sailor Senshi of the Planet Mars. And she finally paused a moment later as the young woman's lifeforce faded from her awareness. Iris and Borea were already gone, which left only Hestia between herself and the invaders. The other four Senshi were not present. Gaia and Nereia would not abandon their post. Their task was to protect the Sol system from external threats, and so intent on it were they, that this internal battle could not budge them. And Rhea was attending to Persephone; the Sailor for planet Pluto had been left emotional and mystically unstable after the destruction of her homeworld.

Selene could only hope Endymion had managed to get Serenity to safety. She believed her daughter and the Earth prince must have already escaped the palace, as she could no longer sense them. And the Moon Queen dared not spare the energy for a spell to track them.

Selene gestured as she approached her throne. Out of the air, her scepter appeared, floating before her. The staff was five feet long, composed a pink alloy of silver and iron, and topped with a golden crescent moon. Selene caught it in her left hand as she covered the last few steps to the center of her political power. She placed the tips of her right pointer and ring fingers against the back of the ornate chair, and began to trace a series of mystic runes.

"Your majesty, what are you doing?" the black cat cried out even as she and her white comrade slipped into the audience chamber from a side entrance, "You must be away from here. Most of the Senshi have fallen. And Beryl is nearly here."

"I know, Luna," Selene agreed sadly. The wards she was manipulating flared briefly and then faded. Selene opened the sealed compartment in her throne, and withdrew a teardrop shaped diamond roughly the size of her fist.

"The Ginzoishou?" the pale feline sounded nervous, "So that's where it was hidden…"

"What are you doing, your majesty?" Luna demanded. Ignoring her for the moment, Selene murmured a brief spell as she touched the silver crystal to the moon emblem on her staff. A mounting brace grew out of the gold and connected the two artifacts.

"Beryl _must_ be stopped," the queen answered, "And I can think of no other way. Can my two advisors?"

Neither cat could answer her question, but after a second Luna spoke again.

"But the Ginzoishou is not meant…."

"I know, Luna," Selene cut her off with a hint of annoyance at the cat's lecturing tone.

"Selene, if you do this, you…" the male feline addressed her sadly and familiarly.

"I understand Artemis," she interrupted him as well, but her voice was more gentle this time, "But I ask again, as Queen of the Moon and elected leader of the Sol Federation, to the wise Cait Sidhe who serve as my advisors: Is there anything else we can do to end this war and protect the survivors?"

Once again they remained silent.

"I can't either," Selene said firmly. Then she flinched as she felt Hestia's power flare and then vanish.

"In that case, take cover behind the throne," the queen ordered. Even as the cats scrambled to obey, the doors to the throne room exploded inward. Seven youma charged in through the gap, but with a wave of the hand not holding her staff, Selene reduced them to dust. Following behind them were Beryl's four generals, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Kunzite. Selene's heart fell even as she pointed her staff at them with both hands. The four members of the Shitennou had been followers of King Aethlius and bodyguards of Prince Endymion. The Moon Queen did not know why they had betrayed their liege and land, and her uncertainty stayed her hand.

Jadeite was first in, and the only female member of the Shitennou dragged in Hestia, the Sailor Senshi of planet Mercury, by the neck. Selene was not sure if she was outraged that the girl was dead, or relieved that she was not being tormented while still alive. The general tossed the girl's body aside, and shook out her short blonde hair as she gave Selene a feral smirk. Her sharp blue eyes said she enjoyed the cruelty and she flicked her left wrist, spattering the blood on the blade she carried across the white stone wall.

Nephrite barely resisted the urge to shake his head at his colleague's attitude and action. There was disappointment in the dark grey eyes of the eldest general. He had reddish brown hair, and carried a broad-headed spear that was noticeably cleaner than the weapons of his comrades.

Zoisite also had blonde hair, but his was as long and wavy as Nephrite's. He was the shortest of the three male generals, but still taller than Jadeite. Unlike his three comrades, Zoisite carried no weapon. Instead, the blood of his victims played across his white gloves. His eyes were dark green with brown flecks, and never seemed to leave the face of the last general to enter the throne room.

Kunzite was the tallest of the Shitennou, and the only one with straight hair. Not quite as long as Nephrite or Zoisite, his white locks extended well past his shoulders. His red eyes as locked on the queen, but unlike Jadeite, his focus was professional and cautious. He held a war hammer in his left hand and had a buckler strapped to his right wrist.

With all four generals present, and enraged at the treatment of Sailor Mercury, Selene began to charge an attack strong enough to blow past their defenses and incinerate the quartet. But before she could unleash mystic death on them, her true enemy appeared.

Beryl swept into the throne room, as if to claim ownership of it. Her glowing amber eyes looked on Selene's emerald orbs, and Beryl grinned viscously. Her crimson hair undulated gently despite the lack of wind. Selene recognized a minor vanity spell surrounding the other woman the produced the movement.

Beryl brought her hands forward, subtly showing the Queen the tiara and sword she carried. Selene recognized Serenity's circlet and Endymion's blade immediately. And she knew the reason she could not sense them was not because they had escaped. The magic she had been preparing petered out as her emotions shifted from rage to despair.

"Beryl, how could you?" Selene asked softly, "I though you loved Endymion. Was not this entire war started so you could marry him?"

"Any feelings I might have had for Endymion are long past," Beryl's eyes flicked to Nephrite before she added, "I pursued him at the end as a means to free Earth from the Moon's influence. Instead, he chose to shackle himself to your spawn. That left me with only one choice."

"Free Earth from the Moon?" Selene repeated incredulously, "You have killed two hundred billion innocent civilians, and rendered every other planet in the system uninhabitable. Does whatever political inequity you believe exists even come close to justifying your actions? How is that freedom?"

Nephrite looked troubled by her words, and Zoisite shifted his eyes guiltily to Selene for an instant. Jadeite, on the other hand, was unaffected by her words, and Kunzite actually looked amused.

"Death can be freedom," Beryl answered smugly, "Those who refused to see the chains in which they were bound, we have liberated their souls instead."

Selene shook her head in dismay, but also helped restore her focus. The queen faced the other woman resolutely.

"Duchess Beryl…" she started.

"Queen!" the tyrant interrupted with a snarl.

"… under the laws of both the Earth Empire and Sol Federation, I am taking you and your followers into custody for the crimes of treason, terrorism, and murder. You will be judged by the survivors of your massacres, and they will determine your punishment."

"You think you can capture us?" Beryl laughed, "We slaughtered your Sailor Senshi like so much cattle. And you are not even a warrior..."

"Moon! Crystal! Illumination!" Selene called out over the top of Beryl's taunts, sweeping her scepter towards them. Innumerable spears of light appeared in the air around them, stabbing into Beryl, her generals, and the battalion of youma massed behind them. The youma instantly turned to dust as the spikes pierced them. Each of the Shitennou also had multiple shards impaling their limbs and torsos, but unlike the monsters who served them, they were merely immobilized, not killed. Beryl was not instantly killed like the youma, but unlike her generals, her flesh began to bubble and blacken around where Selene's blades struck her. Even as her body melted into an ebony sludge, she gestured, able to move where her generals could not. A wave of emptiness erupted from Beryl, and the spears of light shattered. But even with Selene's spell destroyed, Beryl's body continued to erode around where she had been struck.

"Beryl what have you done? Have you given yourself over to…"

Selene's incredulous protest was cut off as the other woman flung her arms wide. A blast of darkness hit the queen, blinding her and compressing her defensive spells. And when it ended, Beryl and her generals were gone. The usurper left behind her trophies, the sword and tiara. Selene was not certain if it was in haste, or in boast.

"You did it, your majesty," Luna crowed triumphantly, emerging from behind the throne, "You forced the invaders to retreat and seriously injured Duchess Beryl."

"And it is not enough," Selene said, her normally noble voice sounding flat and hollow. She collapsed to her knees, and then leaned back against her throne so she would not fall further. As she crumpled, the body of her staff cracked and shattered, leaving little more than a wand's length in her hand.

"It's the Ginzoishou, isn't it your Majesty," Artemis said as he joined his partner, "Using it was too much for you, as we feared."

"Yes," the Queen agreed, "but since it is already too late, I see no need to hold back."

She brought the remains of her scepter up to her face, her now unoccupied left hand surrounding the silver crystal as if to capture her voice and power.

"Let them be sealed away," she half-commanded, half-pleaded, "Beryl, her traitorous generals, and her monstrous minions. Seal them in whatever hole they have fled to, for as long as possible."

"Let my daughter and her friends be reborn in that future," Selene continued as light began to grow in the talisman, "Give them another chance, at a time when the world has rebuilt."

"Your Majesty, such a seal will not last," Luna said, her voice uncertain.

"Which is why I have asked that the Sailor Senshi be granted a second chance to fight this war. I do not have the strength or time to pursue Beryl and finish it now. I must leave it to them."

"Let my advisors be sealed," Selene whispered to the Ginzoishou again, "So that they may guide my warriors when the battle is rejoined."

"And let my kingdom be protected from outside threats, until its people are ready to protect it again."

The light in the crystal was too intense to look at. The energy exploded outward, shattering the Ginzoishou into many pieces as it carried Selene's wishes outward. The queen watched as spheres of magic encased the two Cait Sidhe and carried them upwards, towards the Earth. She could feel the wave expanding, collecting the souls of the fallen. It incidentally shattered the remaining wards on the palace, allowing the last of the atmosphere to seep out across the Moon, now made desolate by Beryl's attacks.

Selene watched her wishes travel to the neighboring planet. One mass of energy centered on a small island at the edge of the largest ocean, and the other around the continent at the southern pole. Then as the last of her lifeforce left her, the remains of staff and the shards of the Ginzoishou flew off to the Earth.


	2. Chapter 1: Guardian of the New Era

"_My name is Tsukino Usagi, age fifteen, first year student at Juuban Technical High School. I am little lazy and a bit of a crybaby. But for the most part I'm a normal Japanese girl. Don't let the blonde hair and blue eyes fool you. I'm not a delinquent, and both of my parents are full-blooded Japanese. And so what if I go to the best school in the prefecture? I am the worst student in the school with a solid C minus average. None of that is so special. Everyone has a few quirks, after all. I really am as normal as they come…"_

* * *

As her alarm went off, Tsukino Usagi sat up with a leisurely yawn. She tapped the button to turn off the device. She thought her room looked a little bright, but a second look at the clock confirmed it was only six AM. The teen padded casually over to her dresser and drew up her golden hair. Loose, it reach the bottom of her toned yet shapely butt, but she wrapped it into a spherical bun on either side of her head. Each intricate ball took up only a portion of her hair, and the rest trailed out in the respective buns in a tail that reached the middle of her back. She slowly stripped off her pajamas, changed her panties and put on a matching bra, before donning her school uniform.

"Usagi, are you up?" her mother shouted from the foot of the stairs in concern.

"I'm up, Mom."

"Well, it's after seven o'clock, you better hurry," Tsukino Ikuko sounded concerned but also a mildly annoyed.

"Ehhh?" the teen exclaimed, whirling to look at her clock again. It innocently changed from 6:06 to 6:07 under her gaze. Had she messed up setting her alarm again, or was this one of her little brother's pranks? Either way she would have to run, or she was going to be late.

She hurried to pull on her socks and grabbed her bag as she jogged out of her room. She slid down the stair rail under her mother's disapproving eye. Usagi snatched a piece of toast off the plate her mother was taking to her brother Shingo. Before she could be scolded, the teen darted to the door. Holding the snack in her mouth, she quickly pulled on her outdoor shoes and raced out of the house.

She took her cellular out of the skirt pocket. It cheerfully reported the time as 7:12. She only had seven minutes to catch the last bus that would get her to school in time.

Tsukino jogged even while she chewed, and was so intent on her toast and the road that she did not notice the small black mass that shot out of the alley until it bounced off her calf. Usagi barely stayed upright and paused to see what it was. Lying flat before her was a short-haired black cat, above average size for most domesticated breeds, but not as big as some of those cats she had seen on the internet. A moment later, a large dog trotted out of the same side street, growling. Its eyes locked on the feline, and started to stalk towards it.

"Shoo," the girl told the hound, feeling sorry for the cat. The animal turned its glare on her, a rumble still issuing from its bared teeth. Usagi flinched, but did not retreat.

"Please?" she held her bag in front of her and tried to sound threatening. But the quaver in her words and her general defensive posture gave her away. The dog stepped closer, so she threw her toast at it. It looked surprised when the bread hit its snout. But after a moment it seemed to snort derisively, and then collected the morsel before vanishing back into the alley.

"Are you okay?" Usagi knelt down next to the cat. It had rolled onto its side, and its front paws were scratching at its head. It stopped for a moment, and Usagi saw a Band-Aid covering a spot between its eyes. Then the cat started picking at it again.

"You want that off?" she asked, and the cat slowed its efforts.

"This might hurt a bit," Tsukino warned the feline. Then she gently took the cat's head in her left hand, and quickly tore off the bandage. As she did, she almost thought she saw a flash of light. Underneath the Band-Aid there was a bald spot in the shape of a crescent moon. Except where there should have skin, spot appeared to be made out of metallic silver. Usagi reached tentatively to touch the spot, but the cat, suddenly energetic, pulled out of her grasp and bounded to the top of the high wall surrounding the closest house. Tsukino suddenly remembered that she did not have time to spare.

"Bye, kitty," she called out as she started to jog again.

Usagi picked up the pace. The encounter with the cat had cost her too much time. As she rounded the corner and the bus stop came into view, the bus was already starting to pull away.

"WAIT," she howled, tears in the corners of her eyes. At the same time she dashed forward, hitting the side of the bus gently. The driver must have seen her, because the transport slowed back down and he let her on. Panting slightly, she wiped her eyes. Then she frowned slightly when she saw there was only one seat open, and who it was next to. Gritting her teeth slightly, she slid sat down next to her senior.

"That was a great sprint, Odango," the young man said dryly, "Are you sure you don't to join the Track Team? I heard they could use a few more short distance runners."

"Shut up, Chiba-senpai," she said sharply, not looking at him, "And don't call me that."

Chiba Mamoru was the bane of Usagi's existence. Tall, dark and handsome, he should have been her type. Except that Mamoru devoted every moment in her presence to nitpicking, nagging, and needling. He was always asking her why she didn't join a club or go to a cram school and complaining about her grades. All while calling her that hated nickname. After all, someone had to be at the bottom of the class, so why should he care if it was her. Normally she tried to take the earlier bus, so she wouldn't have to see him. Not that that was the only reason. Osaka Naru, her best friend, was the daughter of the school's director, so Naru always got to school early. And Usagi liked to keep the other girl company. That Naru sometimes let the blonde copy her homework was just a mild side benefit.

Purposely ignoring the older boy, Usagi tapped her foot in impatience as she waited for the bus to reach their school. Until her stomach let out a loud grumble of hunger.

"Skipping meals?" Mamoru asked in mock concern, "It's not like you need to diet. If anything…"

"I gave up my breakfast to a stray dog to save a cat," she cut him off triumphantly.

"Really, Odango?" he sounded surprised, "I wouldn't have that you had it in you."

"What you don't know about me would fill a book," she shot back. He did not have a comeback, so they settled into an uncomfortable silence. Until her belly rumbled again, and he smacked her arm with a granola bar. She looked at him in surprise.

"You're distracting me, and I don't think it's fair to make your classmates try to concentrate through that," he explained defensively. She looked rebellious for a moment. He wiggled it at her. Feeling another noise building in her gut, she snatched it out of his hand and wolfed it down.

"There, happy?" she complained, folding the wrapper and putting it in the empty side pocket of her schoolbag.

"My ears are," he teased. She huffed, and went back to ignoring him.

* * *

Usagi was somewhat surprised to find Naru was not present when she arrived, still a few minutes before the bell. She watched her friend's chair, her eyes occasionally moving to the door. Tsukino wondered if the other girl was sick.

"Where's Naru?" Gurio Umino asked her. The young man was a classic nerd. Shorter than her, painfully thin, Umino had short, dark brown hair in a messy array of spikes, and perfectly round glasses that covered most of his face and were so thick they made his eyes look blurry. Naru had once suggested that he might be cute, without his spectacles distorting his face like a funhouse mirror. Usagi had expressed her doubts, using his perpetually wrinkled uniform as evidence. So much as she disliked Mamoru, at least the older boy kept his jacket and pants sharp. Still, Umino was always near the top in their year, and at this school that equated to social status. If anything, most of the class wondered why he was friends with Tsukino, rather than the other way around.

"Don't know," Usagi answered, "But she didn't text me to pick up her assignments, so she's either not sick, or she's really, really sick. Is the headmistress here?"

"I thought I saw her in the hall," he considered that. Both teens quieted as their homeroom teacher walked in and slid the door shut. But before she reached the podium, the door slammed back open, and a slightly panting Naru hurried into the class.

"Sorry, sensei," she said quickly before hurrying over to her seat.

"what happened?" Usagi whispered worriedly. Naru shook her head to suppress a yawn, her wavy red-brown locks fluttering around her. The green eyes, so dark they looked black in the shadows, fixed on Tsukino wearily.

"my mom left without me," the other girl explained, "and she didn't even wake me up first. I know she is caught up in this inter-club competition, but…"

Usagi nodded as she listened to her friend complain. Osaka Mayumi was a good mother and a better principal. She, more than even Naru, was the reason Usagi had followed her friend to the selective school rather than trying for an easier one. That Mayumi would forget about Naru like this was practically unthinkable, and said something about this tournament. As a member of the Go-Home club, Usagi had not paid attention to the event, but she resolved to ask Naru and Umino about it at lunch.

* * *

"So, some alumni offered to give the school a bunch of money, if they had some sort of multi-sport competition?" Usagi tried to wrap her head around what Naru had told her, "And your mom offered to increase the winners' budgets, to get all the clubs to participate? Except now she is super busy organizing everything, and forgetting about you? So you are try to get back into the top ten so she will be proud?"

"That sums it up," Naru agreed sadly. Then Umino returned, she turned her eyes on him, "Well?"

"Sorry, you were number eleven," he told her consolingly. The brunette slumped slightly.

"And you?" Usagi prompted the boy.

"Number two, again," he scratched the back of his head, "I guess I'm never going to win against a 300 IQ natural genius."

"You know, there were some girls from another school on my bus a few days ago," Usagi said thoughtfully, "They were talking about going to a temple on the route. Supposedly the miko there has actual powers. You could get a magic talisman for studying."

"Usagi-san," the boy shook his head, "There's no such thing as magic."

* * *

Usagi was still worrying about Naru when she got home. She hurried through her homework a little quicker than usual, in the back of her head rationalizing that maybe if she did a little worse, her friend could do a little better. Then she collapsed on her bed, trying to think if there was any way to help Naru.

At the same time, she couldn't stop herself from contemplating the tournament. What kind of person would shell out a lot of money to see a bunch of high school kids compete? Other than a pervert who wanted to see a bunch of girls in bloomers? It wasn't like the boy's gym outfits were quite as revealing…

However the money was still tempting. Except that she wasn't in a club. Or a manga character who could get paid to be a mercenary sports ace. Besides, it just sounded like too much work.

The girl's introspection was interrupted by a weird squeaking noise. Looking around, she realized it was coming from her window. She propped herself up on her shoulder so she could get a better look. A black cat was gently scratching the glass with its right front claws. And it only took an instant for her to look at its head and realize it was the same feline she had rescued this morning. With a slight grin, she opened up the window. The cat immediately hopped into her room, and as its species was wont to do, started to look around like a queen appraising her new kingdom.

"Are you stalking me, kitty?" Tsukino asked in an amused tone. The cat gave her an aggrieved look. She started to apologize, but before she could the cat spoke.

"I would hardly call it stalking, Usagi-chan," it said in a female voice, speaking perfect Japanese, "and my name is Luna, not 'kitty'."

"EHHH!" the Human shrieked and crab-walked back on her bed until she hit the wall, "The cat is talking!"

"Technically speaking, I am not a cat," Luna sounded annoyed and gave the girl another condescending look, "I am a Cait Sidhe, a type of spirit."

"You mean a fairy? Like in Fairy Dance Arc of SAO?" Usagi stopped cowering and looked amazed.

"I suppose that is one way to put it," not happy with the label, Luna could not fully deny it, "But I do not know what this SAO…"

"Then why did I have to save you from the dog?" Usagi suddenly looked doubtful as she remembered, "Couldn't you have used you powers on it? Or just yelled at it to go away?"

"After those young ruffians affixed that sticky thing to my head, my mana flow was diminished," the cat sounded slightly embarrassed, "My physically abilities were greatly lessened, including my ability to enunciate Human speech. As for my 'powers', I am not sure what you think I can do based on this 'Fairy Dance Arc', but it is not as if I could have blasted the mutt. A Cait Sidhe's abilities are mostly based on the gathering and use of information."

"But you did jump to the top of that high wall pretty easy," Usagi countered, "So if you can't fly or something, you have to be stronger than a normal cat. Unless you have some super awesome Cat Fu."

"Well, yes, we are gre…" Luna started off proudly, but suddenly stopped and shook her head, "That is not why I followed you today…"

"You are stalking me!"

Luna ignored the interruption, "I believe you are one of the people I have been looking for, one of the reborn Sailor Senshi."

"Sailor Senshi?" the blonde tilted her head in confusion, "What's that?"

"The Senshi were the guardians of the Sol Federation. They represented eight of the ten planets in our system, and protected it from threats both internal and external."

"There's only eight planets at all," Usagi countered, fixating on one fact to counter her growing bewilderment.

"There are ten," the feline insisted tersely, "including the Moon, and Pluto before its destruction. That unfortunate hunk of rock that now carries its name is merely one of the largest surviving pieces of the planet Pluto…"

Luna shook her head to drive out the girl's distractions, and quickly and sternly continued, "We do not have time for this. The Dark Kingdom is on the move. If you really are one of the Sailor Senshi, your power will be needed, and soon."

"Okay," Usagi sounded dubious, "How do we figure out if I am one of the Sailors you are looking for?"

Luna waved her paw, and a golden brooch fell out of thin air onto the girl's bed. It was a circular disc, and completely unadorned. The teen's eyes widened as she looked at the accessory.

"Touch this transformation brooch," the feline instructed, "If you are one of the ones we are looking for, it should attune itself to your power. And that in turn should tell us which Senshi you are."

Nervously, Usagi extended her hand, and picked up the brooch. The talisman began to emit a sharp, golden light and grew warm in her hand. Even though it did not hurt her, she yelped in surprise and dropped it. Etchings began to form on the surface, and a yellow gem emerged in the center of the artifact. As the Human and Cait Sidhe leaned closer to see what the symbols were, Usagi's cellular suddenly rang. Tsukino hopped off her bed, her interest in the magical cat and jewelry eclipsed by the familiar ring tone.

"Moshi-moshi, Naru," she said as soon as the phone connected.

"Usagi," the other girl said desperately, forgoing the normal greeting, "You have to help me, my mom turned into some kind of monster and she's trying to kill me."

"What?" Tsukino all but shouted in surprise and worry.

"My mom was acting weird at dinner tonight, so when she came back to the school I followed her," Naru whispered quickly, "But once she was inside she changed. Her skin turned grey and her nails turned into foot long spikes. Then this other blonde woman appeared, and my mother told her that the plans to harvest the students during the tournament was on track. She gave this glowing green gem to the other woman, who disappeared again. Then she started to leave, so I did too. But I knocked over one of those wet floor signs, and she heard it. She started chasing me. I ran and hid one of the second year classes. 2-C, I think."

"Why didn't you call the police?" Usagi demanded.

"I did," the other girl managed to sound insulted despite the overwhelming fear in her voice, "I didn't even tell them the monster part, but they didn't believe me."

"Don't worry, Naru, I'll think of something. For now, hang up and stay quiet."

She hit the end call button, and then glanced around her room. She stepped over to the closet and took out the tennis racket her mother had bought for her during the ill-fated attempt to join a club in her second year of middle school. Just before the incident that had ultimately lead to her going to Juuban.

"Usagi, what is wrong?" Luna demanded.

"Naru is in trouble," the girl called back even as she ran out of her room, "Her mom turned into a monster and is after her!"

"Usa…" Luna tried to stop the girl, but stopped short when Shingo poked his head out of his room. Instead, she touched the brooch, causing it to vanish again, before chasing the blonde.

* * *

Brandishing her makeshift weapon, Usagi tip-toed into the darkened school. She made her way quickly to the stairwell, her ears straining for Naru or her mother. Once she made it to the landing between the floors, she heard a scream and broke out running. She rounded the corner onto the second floor, and saw _something_ lifting Naru by the neck and jaw. It had its back to Tsukino, and Naru's unfocused eyes did not seem to see the blonde either.

The creature looked vaguely like Mayumi, but almost skeletally thin, with pale grey skin and fingers ending in claws instead of nails. Claws which were cutting into Naru's cheek as the monster closed its hands. Before Usagi could protest, her friend went limp.

"Naru," Usagi half sobbed, half shouted. But she was too frightened, to do anything more. The monster lowered her friend with a look of confusion, and turned her head to face at Usagi. Turned its head only, into a position that would have killed a normal human.

"Another donor, looking to contribute to our great cause," it rasped, its voice still resembling the Osaka matron. She let her victim drop to the tiles, and took a step towards Usagi. As its head returned to the normal position, it sprinted forward, faster than a natural Human could. Usagi fell back with a shriek in the heartbeat after it started moving, her racket clattering to floor. But as the monster passed the edge of the stairwell, a steak of black leaped out of the alcove, and latched onto its face.

Luna clawed the creature's face three times, before hopping off when it reached for her. She landed lightly, and gestured with her paw. The brooch from earlier reappeared. With a light kick, the Cait Sidhe sent it skittering over to the girl.

"Usagi, take the brooch and say, 'Moon Senshi Power, Make Up'," the cat commanded. As the girl touched the brooch, the monster kicked at Luna. The cat attempted to dodge, but the tip of its boot scraped her ribs and sent her careening.

"Luna!" Tsukino yelled, and the cringed as the monster lunged at the Human again.

"Do it," the cat groaned.

"Moon Senshi Power, MAKE UP!"

Lightning crackled out of the artifact, the energy throwing the creature back even as it flowed over Usagi's body. Her clothing seemed to evaporate, but her naked body appeared to be made out of shimmering sliver-white energy instead of Human flesh. The ornament floated out of her hand, and landed on her chest between her modest cleavage. Yellow and lavender ribbons flowed out of the talisman, wrapping her body. Once she was covered, additional strips shot out, disconnected from the device, and surrounded her hands and feet. Another burst of electric energy exploded out of her, and her skin returned to normal while the mystic streamers solidified into real cloth. The majority of her body was covered in white, with a purple collar and a pleated yellow skirt with hints of orange and lavender around the bottom edge. Her high-heeled boots were the same color as her collar, except for a white trim on the top, in a lightning bolt pattern. The gloves instead were white with a purple ribbon tying them off at her wrists. Her uniform had gauzy sleeves and a similarly translucent cape and two purple ribbons trailing behind. A violet jewel perched on each of the buns in her hair. A purple choker held an amber rhombus over her throat. And a thin tiara holding another oval amber rested on her brow.

Not only had her clothing changed, Usagi's hair was now stark white and the tails had extended until they reached almost down to her ankles. And her blue eyes were now shining gold. Despite her initial position, the Sailor Senshi was now standing on her feet, facing the imposter.

"Ehhh?" Usagi shrieked in surprised as she looked down at herself.

"What was that?" the monster howled, stiff shaking from the jolt that threw it back. But it returned to its feet and stabbed at the newly transformed Senshi. Tsukino dodged, but she moved faster than she expected and slammed lightly into the wall. She exclaimed instinctively in pain, and then slid down to her butt as the monster aimed its next strike at her neck. Its right claws dug into the concrete column. It followed up, attempting to carve out her heart.

"Why is this happening!?" Sailor Moon wept in terror and confusion. The stones in her hair resonated with her cries, and the sound of thunder shook the school. The monster was launched back again, and as the sonic burst continue, it carefully covered its ears.

"Sailor Moon," Luna gasped as she struggled to stand, "You must destroy the youma. Focus your mind and draw out your power."

"Focus my mind," she took a breath and tried to do what the fae cat asked. The yellow gem on her forehead began to glow.

"Draw out my power," she parroted, and lightning began to flicker across the golden band. Usagi blinked and shuddered from the odd feeling of her magic flowing down her spine. But her eyes centered on her opponent intently.

"Moon Tiara," she drew the circlet off, but the gem stayed behind, affixed to her forehead, leaving a hole in the tiara. Then she snapped out her wrist.

"Action!"

The tiara flashed across the gap. It struck the youma in the chest. And then bounced off and clattered to the floor at the monster's feet.

"Ehhh?"

"What was that?" Luna groused. And the fake headmistress almost looked like it agreed with its enemy's adviser.

"I felt the power in my tiara, so I threw it," the teen whined.

"That is just stupid," the youma smirked. It kicked the tiara back at her and took a threatening step forward.

"Again, quickly," the cat yowled, "And this time think about and feel your magic!"

The youma looked slightly worried and leapt at her. Usagi's eyes widened in fear, and she thrust her hand out to keep the monster at bay.

"Moon Senshi Spark!" she squealed quickly. Five balls of lightning shot out of her fingertips. One missed entirely, but the other four scorched the youma's blouse and grey skin, pushing it back again.

"Better," Luna complimented her, "But finish… it before it recovers."

Usagi eyes caught on her tiara, and she remembered how it reacted to her electric powers. And another thought came to mind. She caught up the accessory and placed it on her left palm, face up. She held her right hand, face down, above it. Then she began to send her lightning into her hands. The tiara began to glow, and floated between her hands, spinning faster and faster.

"What are you doing?" Luna demanded as the monster started to recover, "That didn't work."

"Because I didn't do it right," Sailor Moon insisted, as the tiara appeared to become nothing more than a disc of solid electricity. The youma snarled, but also took a step back when it saw the attack growing brighter.

"Moon!" The gem on her head began to spark.

"Tiara!" Voltage began to flow visibly back and forth between her arms, moving down towards the tiara. The youma turned to run.

"RAILGUN!" Sailor Moon screamed the final word. Thunder boomed again as the disc launched at supersonic speed. It hit the monster's spine, and this time definitely did not bounced off. As it sliced through, it discharged the built up energy into the youma's body. When it exited, it had returned to its original appearance, barely spinning at all. It looped back, a few last sparks dancing on it as it made the return trip. And as it touched down on Usagi's hand, the creature crumbled into dust.

"Thank you, Misaka Mikoto," she whispered with a grin as she replaced the circlet.

"What was that?" Luna demanded incredulously.

"Just letting myself be inspired," Usagi grinned sheepishly. Then Naru's fallen form caught her eye, and her skin went almost as pale as her hair. It looked like Sailor Moon was struggling not to throw up.

"Oh god," she mumbled, "Naru's mom turned into a monster and killed her, and then I killed her mom."

"Don't be foolish," Luna interrupted, her voice still rough from pain, "Your friend is not dead, she has only had her energy drained. She will need some time to rest, but she should make a full recovery. As for her mother… We can only hope that the youma left this girl's mother alive, to feed on her energy or for information."

"Naru," Usagi was over by her friend's side in less than a second, propping her up and checking ineptly for a pulse, "Naru, it's…"

"Sailor Moon, you must keep your identity a secret," the cat hissed in warning. Then she turned her head upwards as she saw a shadow flash across the third floor balcony window. But when Luna looked, nothing was there.

"… okay," the Senshi finished ineptly, "The monster is gone, and I am sure help will be here soon."

"We must leave," Luna whispered forcefully. Scowling at the Cait Sidhe, Usagi turned away from her friend, and darted down the stairs. Even as Naru's eyes fluttered open.

* * *

"So they will let you out tomorrow?" Usagi asked her hospital bound friend anxiously.

"Yeah, I am as good as new," Naru agreed, her hand brushing the bandage over the cuts on her cheek, "the doctor's just worried because of the 'gas'."

It had been four days since the dramatic events Usagi was still not convinced were really real. Both of the Osaka women had been found thanks to Usagi's call and a second, anonymous tip. Unable to determine what had knocked them out, they explained it as a gas leak in their home. Which conveniently explained Osaka Mayumi's erratic behavior and lack of memory.

Usagi was visiting her friend, hoping for denial or confirmation of her odd experience. Especially as she had not seen Luna since. The mysterious brooch was sitting on her desk, but Usagi was too cowardly to touch it, much less try to transform again.

But when her friend made finger quotes around the word gas, a chill bit the blonde's spine.

"What do you mean?"

"The doctors say I was hallucinating," Naru lowered her voice so the nurses could not hear her, "But I know what I saw. Some kind of monster took my mom's place. And I was rescued by an angel."

"An angel?" Usagi prompted hopefully.

"Yup," the brunette agreed, "I only caught a glimpse of her, but she was glowy, gold, and silver. And some kind of voice called her Sailor Moon."

Usagi fell forward on to Naru's bed, with a expression of despair on her face and a matching sigh.

"Usagi, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied weakly, "I just thought I saw something like that before I found you… But she didn't look like an angel to me. Just a girl in a crazy cosplay. I had been thinking I was just seeing things…"

"I wonder who she was," Naru pondered.

"Me too."

* * *

Exiting the hospital, Tsukino was only mildly surprised to find a black cat waiting for her in the shadows.

"Shoo," she waved her hands at the feline, holding on to one last shred of hope.

"I will not," Luna announced imperiously, "If the Dark Kingdom is already taking action, there is far too much to be done."

Usagi exhaled in defeat, "Where were you anyway?'

"I checked on your friend's mother."

"You made the anonymous call," Usagi barely kept her voice down as she pointed at the Cait Sidhe accusingly.

"And then I began searching for the other Sailor Senshi," Luna ignored her, "Now come along, we should get home. And I believe you still have English and math homework to finish."

"Are you still stalking me, Luna?"

* * *

Ba-dump

A blonde woman in militaristic uniform kneeled before the shadowed dais. She struggled to keep her hand off the short sword on her belt. The act might have comforted her, but would not have been taken well.

Ba-dump

"What have you brought me, Jadeite?" the low, hollow, barely-female voice seemed to come from the walls themselves.

Ba-dump

"The energy I promised, my queen," Jadeite answered, her voice carefully even.

Ba-dump

The only female general held out a small piece of jade, which floated out of her hand and vanished into the darkness.

Ba-dump, ba-dump

"This is only a fraction of what you promised," the disembodied voice shrieked. Jadeite wished to cover her ears, but did not move. She dared not even flinch.

Ba-dump, ba-dump

"It could not be helped, my queen," the blonde said with confidence she did not feel, "The youma was destroyed before it could complete its job. Even so, it was able to collect this much through incidental exposure."

Ba-dump, ba-dump

If Jadeite expected her master to accept the excuse, she was sorely mistaken.

Ba-dump, ba-dump

"What in this empty age could have possibly destroyed a youma of the Dark Kingdom?"

Ba-dump, ba-dump

"A…" Jadeite shook, but this time with rage, "A Sailor Senshi, my queen."

The room grew deathly still. The ever-present sound a slow heartbeat vanished.

"What did you say?"

"One of the Sailor Senshi has revived," Jadeite growled, "I do not know which one, but it does not matter. I will kill her, whichever one she is. And I already have two more plans in action, to acquire the energy I promised."

Ba-dump

"Good. I will accept that this was unexpected, but also unavoidable. But my patience will not last forever, Jadeite."

Ba-dump

"Of course, my queen."


	3. Chapter 2: The Blackened Mask

"Dozing again, Odango?" Mamoru's voice emerged from the seat behind her, cutting through Usagi's nap, "Where's all that energy you normally waste doing nothing?"

She blinked as she focused on the older boy.

"My parents adopted a cat, and she has been keeping me up at night," Usagi told him, too tired to even tell him off for calling her 'Odango' again. And this time her adaptation of the truth came out more smoothly than when she had told her teacher the same thing.

Usagi was not sure how Luna had ingratiated herself with the Tsukino household. Her father was highly allegoric to cats and dogs, so pets had been forbidden. But it appeared the Cait Sidhe did not cause his eyes and nose to leak like a faucet. Even so, the teen was dubious of how quickly her parents accepted the cat. She had accused Luna of brainwashing her family. Luna had looked insulted at the allegation, but had also not denied it.

And the second part of the excuse was also true. Most people would assume she meant the new kitten was pouncing on her while she was sleeping. Not that the mystical feline was dragging a reluctant Usagi out of the house to practice with her Senshi powers, patrol against youma attacks, or look for her theoretical comrades. Though she had finally convinced Luna that it was unlikely they would find many other girls her age range prowling the streets of Tokyo after midnight, and that the Dark Kingdom probably would not want to attract police attention by doing the same.

"I've heard new pets can act like that," Mamoru sounded sympathetic, "if she doesn't settle down, maybe you could just lock her out of your room."

"Then I'd just have to listen to her whine all night," Usagi shook her head, "So I'll just have to catch a few winks of the bus. Why did you wake me anyway?"

"We just passed your stop," he told her, sounding a little guilty now that he knew why she had been nodding off.

"Ehhh!"

* * *

"I cannot believe you missed getting off the bus," Luna lectured, "Are you sure you were not trying to sneak off to that arcade again?"

"No, I fell asleep because someone has been keeping me up every night," Usagi scowled at the cat.

"And because of that you have noticeably increased the speed with which you charge up your 'railgun'," the cat sniffed at the name Sailor Moon had given her spell.

"What good will that do, if the monsters don't attack again," the girl stifled a yawn, "It could have been a lone survivor from your Silver Millenia."

"Millennium," Luna corrected absently, "And do not forget that your friend saw the youma give something to a blonde woman. Without a more accurate description, I cannot be certain, but it could very well be Jadeite, one of the Dark Kingdom's generals. In which case, she is certainly moving with a purpose, and will have the ability to create more youma. They may already be in the city."

"Okay, but why here? Why not Beijing? New York? London?" Usagi demanded.

"I don't know," the Cait Sidhe knew it was the girl's laziness talking, but could not deny her point, "I have told you already, there are gaps in my memory from my time in stasis. I know there _is_ a reason they will focus their attacks on Tokyo, I just do not recall what that reason is."

"Well, until you figure it out," Usagi said, peeved, "or find one of these youma, or find this Jadeite person, how about you let me get a good night sleep, so I don't do any worse is class, and have my mom on my case. Okay?"

"I suppose that is fair," Luna agreed dubiously. Again, she knew the girl was just trying to avoid practicing, but she also understood that if Usagi were grounded or sent to cram school, it could negatively impact their mission.

"Great, then…"

"In that case, I believe you have History homework to do," the feline interrupted as the girl reached for her phone. When Tsukino started to pout, Luna added, "And in the interest of keeping you mother happy and your time free, I will assist in the research."

"Thanks, Luna," Usagi ran her hand gently down the cat's spine as she sat down at her desk.

* * *

"Is everything in place?" Jadeite asked. The entity she addressed was hidden in the shadows, but was a full head taller than the Dark Kingdom's general. It had a masculine build, and the shape of his silhouette implied he was wearing a formal suit.

He nodded deeply enough that it almost served as a bow.

"Excellent," Jadeite told him happily, "I have to attend to the other plan now, but I look forward to your success with highest anticipation."

* * *

After one good night's sleep, Usagi still was not fully recovered. She managed not to nod off on the bus ride to school, but was yawning more frequently than usual. She had met up with Naru and their mutual friend Yumiko on the short walk from the bus station to Juuban's front gate. But when they arrived they were surprised to be greeted by a young man in a tuxedo. He looked to be college age, and was tall and slender with deep brown hair. As they approached, he bowed slightly and extended three slips of paper towards them.

"Would you fair ladies have any interest in attending a fashion show this Friday?" he flattered them shamelessly. They giggled and took the tickets.

"Is this some club event?" Usagi asked curiously.

"No," he shook his head, "this is a professional designer, who wants to get the pulse of Japanese teens. I have counterparts handing out tickets at every high school in the city. And rumor has it, they might ask some of the attendees to model."

The girls squealed in glee. As they did they heard a grunt of annoyance behind them.

"Would you stop blocking the entrance, Odango?" Mamoru directed his complaint at his favorite target.

"You have plenty of room to get by, Chiba-senpai," Usagi shot back, managing to make the honorific sound like an insult. Then she got a sly look, and added, "Don't get jealous just because you can't get all dressed up."

He snorted, "As if I'd be caught dead in that monkey suit."

He stepped past, and as he did, Usagi pulled down her right lower eyelid and stuck out her tongue at him.

"Sorry," the advertiser said regretfully, "but he does have a bit of a point, and I do have to hand out the rest of these tickets."

Usagi's group looked back to see a growing queue of curious girls behind them.

* * *

"Absolutely not," Luna literally put her foot down as she rejected the proposal.

"But why not?" Usagi demanded, pouting.

"We don't have time to waste on pointless frivolity." The Cait Sidhe snarled, losing her temper at the girl.

The Human glared back, puffing out her cheeks. Then she turned back to the math assignment. After a few seconds, Tsukino's lips split in a sly smirk.

"That's too bad," she sounded disappointed, "the guy giving out the tickets said they were at every high school in town. There could be hundreds of girls my age there. If the other Sailors were reborn close together like you said, this might be the best chance we have had so far to find them."

The cat frowned.

"Don't think you have fooled me for an instant," Luna informed her, "I know full well this is just a ploy, so you can go to this 'fashion show'. But that does not changed the fact that you make a good point."

"So we can go?" Usagi tried not to sound too happy.

"IF," the cat emphasized the word sharply, "you have all of your homework done first."

"But it's on Friday!" the blond protested, "I'll barely have any time before the show. Besides I'll have all weekend to do my homework."

"And over the past two weeks, I have seen how well that works out. Classwork first or no show."

"Fine," Usagi grumbled.

* * *

Usagi, Naru, and Yumiko giggled as they handed over the tickets. All three were dressed in their nicest casual clothing, and Usagi had an oversized bag. They were directed into the shorter, yet slower moving of the two lines to enter the venue. After they rounded the corner, they realized it was because each girl was being judged by a man and woman seated on folding chairs just inside the entrance. The girls in the other line looked jealous as they were moved more quickly into their seats.

"I guess they really are looking for models," Yumiko whispered, half in glee, half in despair. The black haired girl began to worry her hair, looking for split ends.

"They won't pick us anyway," Usagi said, watching a taller, more voluptuous girl with long, braided violet hair and piercing grey eyes get turned away.

"If they don't want her, there's no way they'll pick us," Tsukino continued.

"We should be honored just to be considered," Naru agreed.

"Yeah, you're right," the third girl agreed, releasing her locks.

They moved steadily forward, waving to the occasional classmate that passed in the faster moving lane. When their turn arrived, Yumiko went first. And was dismissed almost immediately. The black-haired girl sighed as she was ushered into the regular viewing section.

Naru stepped up second. And they observed her much more carefully. The man even stood up and took a measuring tape to her shoulders.

"Not quite," he shook his head, returning to his seat, "She looks a little too tired. Next, please."

Naru smiled sadly, and nodded to Usagi before vanishing through the curtain. The blonde girl took her place in the tape-marked square on the floor. The woman has shoulder length grey hair, deep brown eyes, and pronounced lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth. She gazed intently at Usagi's face, studying her eyes and cheekbones. The man had light brown hair drawn into a short tail, and nearly black eyes. He was tall for a Japanese natural, but thinly built like most of her countrymen. But his muscles, while slim, pressed tightly against his fitted t-shirt, silk sport coat, and fifty thousand yen jeans. His eyes studied Usagi's body critically, clinically.

"She will do," he informed the woman, "She has the perfect build and youthful vitality."

"I can work with her," the woman agreed, "Those eyes, that jaw line… I can definitely work with her. Just let me know which dress, so I can match the colors."

"I'm thinking the silver and blue gown," he said. The woman nodded thoughtfully.

"Though, I suppose I should confirm it with the young lady first," he grinned sarcastically, as if it were a foregone conclusion, "Would you like to be a model, miss?"

Usagi just grinned as broadly as she could.

* * *

Luna slipped out of Usagi's purse as the make-up artist who had judged her suitable applied a thin liner to her eyes. The cat slipped between the legs of the assistant who carried over the dress the designer had chosen for Tsukino to wear. With super-feline strength, she jumped at the wall and rebounded up into the scaffolding. She walked over the artificial wall that separated the backstage area from the audience, and looked down on the mass of high school girls. Even as she decided not to tell the girl, she admitted to herself that Usagi had been correct. There were more young women here than she had observed in the year since her awakening. But as she sent out a pulse of magic, she received minimal response. A handful of exceptional star seeds, and two with the potential to be hedge magi. But no Sailor Stars, except of course for Usagi's behind her. So instead the Cait Sidhe began cataloguing their faces and the uniforms of those who had not changed after school, so that she would not need to test them again. As she started to head back, she felt a different sort of energy, even as the lights over the crowd lowered and the music picked up.

* * *

Usagi walked slowly out onto the stage, wearing a dress that probably cost more than her entire wardrobe back home, and jewelry that definitely cost more than her dad's new car. She put on a slight, serene smile; pleased yet detached the cosmetologist had described it. She kept her posture regally straight but not stiff, and as she glided down the runaway, resisted the urge to smile and wave at her friends. Doing this came easily to the young woman, it felt oddly natural. Now that she knew for certain that at least some form of reincarnation existed, she wondered if she had been a model in her past life. She reached the end of the catwalk, twirled elegantly, and began her trip back. She exited the stage, and saw the designer watching the crowd with almost disturbing focus.

"Almost there, just a little more," he whispered. Then he saw her looking at him, and frowning angrily at her.

"What are you doing?" he hissed, "Get back in line for the finale."

Usagi nodded slightly and skittered back into line.

"Is he always like this?" she asked the professional mannequin in front of her.

"I would not know," the older girl answered snobbishly, "I have never worked with him before."

The last model made her way off the stage, and then they all paraded out, this time much less formal in their movements. They formed two lines, on either side of the catwalk, and as the designer and cosmetologist strode down the middle, Usagi spared a small wave to Yumiko and Naru.

"Thank you all for coming out tonight," he addressed the audience, his voice deeper and raspier, "and for your generous donations to the Dark Kingdom."

His arms snapped out, and waves of crimson rolled off of him. The make-up artist collapsed almost instantly, and the rest of crowd fell unconscious shortly after. Only the models were left awake, and even most of them were swooning. After only three seconds, the only one still standing was Usagi, her awakened powers protecting her from the energy drain.

"I knew you had incredible energy," the youma addressed her, sounding mildly surprised, "but this is almost unbelievable. I should take you back to Lady Jadeite."

"No thanks," Tsukino countered uncertainly. She glanced towards the dressing area, where she had left her brooch in her purse.

"Oh, I must insist," it said darkly, taking a step towards her. Its skin seemed to unravel, becoming six, thick bands of dark red fabric. More cloth underneath gave it a mummy-like appearance, if mummies were wrapped long-ways.

"Usagi!" Luna shouted from the scaffold above them. Looking up, the girl and the youma saw the cat push Usagi's transformation artifact off the ledge. Tsukino hopped upwards to catch it, chanting the instant it touched her fingers.

"Moon Senshi Power, MAKE UP!"

The youma flinched away from the circle of lightning that blasted out as Sailor Moon transformed, the deadly energy somehow not touching any of the fallen Humans. Sailor Moon landed lightly, facing the confused and annoyed monster.

"What are you supposed to be?" it prompted mockingly, "Sailor fuku are so last year."

"I am the Guardian of the New Era, the pretty sailor-suited soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon. And in the name of the Moon, I'll punish you."

She swept her left arm across her body and made warding gesture with that hand during the proclamation, and pointed at the youma. Above her, Luna sighed and vowed to shred some of the girl's manga.

"Ha, the Sailor Senshi then," the monster sounded pleased, its ribbons fluttering fiercely, "Lady Jadeite will reward me greatly if I capture you for our great Queen."

"As if," Usagi barked, and thrusting her right hand towards the monster, "Moon Spark!"

Even though she shortened the incantation, seven orbs of lightning shot out of her fingertips. But the youma's fabric tendrils intercepted the electricity, knocking it towards the Cait Sidhe. Luna dodged the rough spheres, as the youma stalked closer to Sailor Moon.

"Moon Senshi Spark," she pointed both hands this time, and ten of the orbs converged on the youma. Again the cloth deflected the spell, but this time with much less control.

"That's not going to work," the energy thief sounded annoyed, "that level of current won't work on me."

The youma's extra limbs snatched at the Senshi, but Sailor Moon hopped back nimbly. Until she hit one of the model's dresses and slipped on the silk. She stumbled, but rolled away blindly, narrowly avoiding the grabbing cloths. As she landed on her butt, she was already reaching for her forehead. But she had not moved far enough, and one of the bolts snared her wrist before she could take off her tiara.

"I think that will be enough," the monster informed her with increased hostility. It tried to reel her in, but she resisted with more strength than it expected. So it sent a second and third cord to bind her.

"Spark," she called desperately, and three orbs from her free hand briefly delayed the advancing fabric. But only for a moment, and then she cringed and closed her eyes as they lunged for her throat.

Then the cloth around her arm went slack and fell free. She felt a warm, strong arm wrap around her waist and gently pull her up. Whoever it was hopped back, carrying her away from the youma.

Sailor Moon opened her eyes to see a man a little older than her, and much taller. Though his height was hard to determine due to the nearly extra foot his top hat gave him. He wore an expertly fitted black tuxedo, with a white vest and a black cape with a red lining. And in his right hand he held a cane with a silver knob. But what drew the girl's attention was the black domino mask with red highlights that covered his face from nose to forehead, with black tinted lenses hiding his eyes.

"What wonderful, classic lines," the youma proclaimed, but it tentacles hovered around it nervously. Usagi saw the one that had been holding her now ended in a diagonal cut rather than a straight one.

"Have you ever considered being a model, young man?" it continued. Sailor Moon's savior did not respond, other than to release her and pull a rose from inside his jacket. He twirled the stem of the flower, and it split into four.

"I bet you were a hit with the ladies," now the monster sounded confused, but started to tense to attack again. But it was too slow, and the masked man threw the roses like darts. One each drilled into four of the youma's cloth limbs, dragging them down and back, pinning them it the catwalk.

"Sailor Moon, now," the tuxedo wearer yelled.

"Right," she agreed, as the monster struggled to free itself. She took off her tiara, levitating it between her palms.

"Moon Tiara RAILGUN," she announced. The youma's free tendrils tried to block the spinning tiara, but it shredded them like a buzz saw. Then the charged circlet hit its chest. As with the first youma, the lightning stored in the disc flooded its body, destroying it. And then the tiara spun lazily back to the Senshi's hand. As she replaced it, the youma disintegrated, and as it did, the dresses the unconscious models were wearing transformed back into rags and scraps.

"Well done, Sailor Moon," the masked man complimented her. She smiled shyly and blushed slightly.

"I couldn't have done it without your help," she admitted, "Thank you…"

She trailed off pointedly.

"You can call me Tuxedo Kamen," he sketched a slight bow.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama," she swooned slightly. He leaned in close, and her blush deepened. But instead of the kiss she was expecting, he ran the petals of another rose softly over her eyes. She blinked instinctively, and when her golden orbs opened again, he was gone, and the flower was falling to the stage. She tried to catch it, but it disappeared in a shower of sparkles.

Luna approaching where the youma had died, placing her paw on a small chunk of jade that remained after it vanished. The gem vanished, leaving a brilliant formless glow in her claws.

"What's that?" Sailor Moon asked cautiously.

"The life force that the youma stole from these people," the Cait Sidhe answered softly, "I need to return it to them, after…"

"After what?"

"I am going to place a spell on it, so they won't remember what happened," Luna answered, "They will believe that the show ended normally, and they went home without incident."

She raised her forelimb, and the energy dispersed. The audience and models stirred, but their eyes remained blank. The guests shuffled out slowly, while the models returned to the dressing area, not noticing their apparel or lack thereof. But one of the victims did not move. The make-up artist remained where she had fallen. Sailor Moon looked at Luna in askance. The cat padded cautiously over to the woman, and gently placed a paw on the Human's wrist.

"She's dead," Luna shook her head sadly.

"What?" Sailor Moon exclaimed, "How? Why? No-one else died!"

"She was not young," the Cait Sidhe's magic scanned the body, "Her lungs were weak from years of smoking. And she was standing right next to the youma. It took all of her life force."

"Then, it was an accident?" the girl frowned.

"Maybe not," Luna argued, "The youma might have been planning to kill everyone here, if you had not been here to interrupt it."

"Well, you have her energy right? Why haven't you brought her back? You fixed everyone else, right?"

"I'm sorry, Usa… Sailor Moon," the cat corrected herself in case anyone else was listening, "Restoring stolen energy to the living person is different. I cannot restore the dead to life. It is all but impossible."

"But your Queen restored all of us to life? That's what you told me. Why can't you do the same thing for one person?"

"First," Luna sounded annoyed this time, "There was reason Selene was the Queen. She was a genius. It was my honor to be one of her tutors, and later her friend. But her power was far beyond what I can do."

Forcing herself to calm, she elaborated, mainly to prevent the girl from talking, "When Princess Serenity was born, she had a condition. I don't… I _can't_ remember what it was. But there was nothing that could be done. That was what all the doctors and wizards told Selene. However, we also told her that if Serenity was protected, monitored, if she did not leave the palace, she could lead a long, happy life."

She sighed, hanging her head, "Selene refused to accept it. She studied ancient texts, and used her power in ways that had never been seen before. She fixed Serenity, gave her the ability to have a normal childhood. At least until the Dark Kingdom attacked."

"I don't understand," Usagi bit back tears of confusion and sadness.

"Second," Luna resumed more gently, "Selene did not restore the Senshi to life. She guided your reincarnations. That is an order or two of magnitude easier. To put it in terms you might understand, Selene took two million yen, went to the car dealership, picked out the car she wanted, and negotiated her price. What you are asking me to do is go to the factory, and build not only the car, but the parts it will be made from. And to do so with only three hundred thousand yen to pay for the materials, and the use of the factory, too."

"Now change back," the Cait Sidhe instructed, sounding very tired, "There isn't anything else we can do here, and your friends are waiting for you."

Sailor Moon blushed slightly as the last model disappeared behind the stage, nude except for a scandalous pair of panties. The potential that she would be in the same state of undress after she changed back briefly distracted her from the heavy thoughts that had been surrounding her. But she was currently alone, except for Luna, and had to change back and get dressed soon. Otherwise her friends might come back in to look for her.

"Release," she touched the talisman. Her uniform split back into ribbons, which then flowed back into brooch. And to both of their surprises, the blue and silver gown the girl had modeled was intact.

"Why is it still a dress?" she demanded of the cat, now fully distracted.

"I don't know. It is unlikely that that was the only real dress the youma made, but also not impossible. More likely, whatever the youma did interacted with your power during your transformation making the dress real. Either way, you had better take it with you."

"Why?" Usagi asked, confused but not displeased.

"Because there might be something here that can connect you to that dress. Notes, pictures someone posted on the internet, or something else. We can't have the authorities, or worse Jadeite, come looking for you because it survived while the other dresses didn't."

* * *

"You really don't remember?" Naru demanded of Yumiko, "The designer turned into a mummy and fought an angel."

"There was no monster, and no angel," the black-haired girl shook her head, "After the designer thanked us, and the models left, I waked you up, and we went outside to wait for Usagi-chan."

Yumiko placed her hand to her cheek sadly, "It is a shame about the make-up artist, though. I can't believe she had a heart attack right after the show. Is that why you are so fixated on your dream, Naru?"

"Mitsuishi Kotone," Usagi interjected.

"Hmm?" Yumiko prompted wordlessly.

"The cosmetologist," Tsukino's expression darkened for a second, "Her name was Mitsuishi Kotone."

"Are you okay, Usagi?" Naru asked.

"Kinda?" the blonde shrugged, throwing off her depression, "even though I know in my head there was nothing I could have done, my heart is still a little sad. I guess I'll just have to try harder next time, to make it up to Mitsuishi-san."

"Try harder?" Yumiko sounded confused. Then her eyes lit up, "Oh, are you going to try modeling again."

"Maybe," Usagi giggled, tilting her face and putting her hand behind her head as if striking a pose. And Naru watched her friend closely, feeling that something was off.


End file.
